Glamour
A glamour is a form of illusion, used by non-humans--such as demons, monsters and fae--to change or mask their outward appearance. Their use varies. Glamours can be used to help those with unnatural appearances blend in, or to make them seem either less threatening or more appealing to potential prey. Purpose and Function Most supernatural beings are not convincingly humanoid, with demons in particular being notorious for their frightful appearances. Predictably, this can make co-existing with humans challenging. The use of a glamour can mitigate some of this difficulty. For those beings who are non-hostile to mortals, existence among the masses is made easier using a humanoid form, allowing for social interaction, commerce and even romantic involvement. For those who prey upon humans, a more innocuous form can make the hunt that much easier. A glamour is, first and foremost, an illusion, and does not change the actual nature of the being using it. However, the strength of a glamour can give those coming into contact a sense of actual presence. Glamours belonging to even the most oversized and distorted creatures can be interacted with and even touched, with the human involved often unable to recognize the actual being beneath it. Only those with spiritual powers can sense through a glamour. Most cannot be seen through, unless the user wishes. Lesser glamours, such as those cast by halflings, merely adapt existing details, rendering unwanted parts invisible but still tangible. Being a form of magic, glamours are largely voluntary, adopted and maintained through force of will. If the will of its wielder is compromised by a change of state or emotion, the image projected may become flawed, or collapse altogether, and requires time and energy to recover. Injuries, loss of consciousness or disturbed mental states are often to blame. Types Glamours come in a number of forms, with their utility and functionality varying. The most common type of glamour is the natural glamour, which is a body-level illusion, cast voluntarily. These consist of humanoid forms taken with little effort, some generic enough to be ignored, others distinct enough to pass as an individual. The effort required to project them differs, with simpler variants requiring less than more elaborate ones. This type is most common among demons, allowing for interaction with mankind without the need for shapeshifting. Most demons have a single glamour they rely on as a form of disguise; they rarely require more than one. Constructed glamours are illusory forms tailor-made to the preference of the wearer. Features can be changed or entirely concealed, down to the smallest detail, giving the ethereal user the appearance of a specific person, or an entirely different being altogether. These require much more focus, energy and skill to create, and are more easily collapsed under strain than the simple variant. As the effort needed is much greater, a constructed glamour must be conjured anew with each use. These are somewhat common among fae, who often lack form and sense of "self," utilizing glamours custom-built for specific purposes. The most elaborate and least predictable form of glamour is the psychic glamour. Utilized by powerful monsters and fae, this glamour is projected in an aura, causing those in range to see an image from their own mind. This can be the person one most wishes to see, or least wishes, depending upon the situation. The clarity of the image depends on the viewer, with multiple witnesses seeing entirely different things. In neutral use, a psychic glamour can also cloak its user in a crowd, drawing from the passing sight of others to blend their appearance away almost entirely. When targeted, the wielder can draw from the mental feedback of their viewer to fine-tune the illusion, at the cost of others perceiving little more than a shadow. Halfling Glamours Halfbreed ethereals are born and exist in a state partway between their dual heritage, often resulting in an unusual appearance. Half-demons are often partly deformed, due to the inhuman anatomy of demons, with missing limbs, distorted features and abnormal skin-colors being common. Halfling monsters often have entire anatomical structures derived from their monstrous parent, such as tails, horns or extra limbs. These differences from the norm can be off-putting, making the use of glamour required in order to interact with mundane society. Glamours used by halflings are usually limited by the power available to them, and are entirely voluntary. These glamours mask their less human features, erasing horns, dulling colors, and rounding teeth. Being only a visual illusion, a halfling glamour cannot replace missing parts or remove deformities, such as melded fingers. The glamour merely gives a more human appearance to what is already there. The basic halfling glamour is usually just convincing enough, with more elaborate masking requiring effort and skill. For older or more powerful halflings, glamours can be used in a gradient, rendering an image that is either entirely human, or intentionally not so. Weaker halflings may project a less convincing glamour, with details that seem off or feature-colors that are not possible. Noteworthy Glamour Users * The Dark King (natural) * Jekyll (natural and constructed) * Hyde (natural, imperfect) * Morgue (natural) * Kukhan (psychic)